PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Letts, Shawn
AU  - Torsvik, Trond H.
AU  - Webb, Susan J.
AU  - Ashwal, Lewis D.
TI  - New Palaeoproterozoic palaeomagnetic data from the Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa
AID  - 10.1144/SP357.2
DP  - 2011 Jan 01
TA  - Geological Society, London, Special Publications
PG  - 9--26
VI  - 357
IP  - 1
4099  - http://sp.lyellcollection.org/content/357/1/9.short
4100  - http://sp.lyellcollection.org/content/357/1/9.full
SO  - Geological Society, London, Special Publications2011 Jan 01; 357
AB  - Palaeomagnetic data from the well-dated 2060.6±0.5 Ma Phalaborwa Complex in South Africa (Kaapvaal Craton) are of excellent quality. High unblocking components are carried by magnetite and single polarity remanence directions (mean declination 5.0°, inclination 57.3°, α95 = 5.2°) yield a palaeomagnetic pole (latitude 27.7°N, longitude 35.8°E, A95 = 6.6°) that overlaps with existing poles from the near coeval 2054.4±1.3 Ma Bushveld Complex. The Phalaborwa and Bushveld complex poles, along with poles from the well-dated Vredefort impact (2023±4 Ma) and Post-Waterberg Dolerites (1874.6±3.9 Ma), define the most reliable poles for the Kaapvaal Craton during this time interval (c. 2060–1875 Ma) and witness low rates of Mid-Palaeoproterozoic apparent polar wander. Poorly dated NE–NNE-trending dyke swarms that intrude the Phalaborwa and Bushveld complexes both yield dual-polarity remanence components that share a common mean at the 95% confidence level. Primary palaeomagnetic poles (Phalaborwa dykes pole latitude 7.6°, longitude 12.1°, A95 = 11.8°; Bushveld dykes pole latitude 12.6°, longitude 24.1°, A95 = 10.8°) suggest that they are of the same age as the Post-Waterberg dolerites (c. 1875 Ma). They could also be as old as the Phalaborwa and Bushveld Complexes, however; high-precision geochronology is required to resolve this issue and to enlarge the number of Palaeoproterozoic key poles for the Kaapvaal Craton.